Ingredients
Scale
- 8 slices soft white or brown bread (for finger sandwiches)
- Butter, softened
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 100g smoked salmon
- 2 boiled eggs, mashed with 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 8 freshly baked scones
- 150g clotted cream
- 150g strawberry jam
- 1 Victoria sponge cake, sliced
- 12 shortbread biscuits
- 12 squares millionaire’s shortbread
- Selection of teas (English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Darjeeling)
- Fresh milk and sugar for serving
Instructions
- Prepare finger sandwiches by removing crusts, buttering bread, and adding fillings of cucumber, smoked salmon, and egg mayonnaise. Cut into neat fingers or triangles.
- Arrange finger sandwiches on the bottom tier of a cake stand or serving platter.
- Place freshly baked scones on the middle tier with small bowls of clotted cream and strawberry jam alongside.
- Arrange sliced Victoria sponge, shortbread biscuits, and millionaire’s shortbread squares on the top tier.
- Brew a warmed pot of English Breakfast or Earl Grey tea and serve with milk, sugar, and lemon slices.
- Present everything together on the table and serve immediately.
Notes
- Prepare finger sandwiches no more than one hour before serving.
- Bake scones fresh on the day for best results.
- Cakes and sweet treats can be prepared the day before.
- Always warm the teapot before brewing.
- Keep portions small — high tea is about variety, not quantity.
- Use a tiered cake stand for a traditional presentation.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Tea Time
- Method: Mixed
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 full tea set portion
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 430 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
Keywords: British high tea, afternoon tea menu, high tea ideas UK, finger sandwiches, British scones, tea party food, classic British tea time, elegant tea recipes